BENUE State Governor Hyacinth Alia has alleged that some politicians serving in the National Assembly are financing the recent attacks on communities in Benue, which have led to several deaths.

He made the allegation while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Friday, June 6,  insisting that the attacks were well-planned and executed by terrorists.

The governor, however, did not name the politicians, but hinted that an interim report from a judicial panel he set up revealed that many big names were involved.

He vowed to take up the matter as soon as he received the full report in the coming week.

“We set up a judicial panel to sort out for us why we kept having attacks from within and from without, and we have received an interim report. Between Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, I will receive a full report from the panel.

“It is very unsettling because some politicians who are very functional and are in the National Assembly and are in Abuja are the architects and arrowheads of not just instigating but harbouring and keeping these people, keeping them in the bushes and taking care of all their bills and buying all the gadgets for them.”

According to Alia, he no longer views the attacks as a clash between farmers and herders.

“We are under siege,” he lamented, insisting that the attacks now involved specialised killers—terrorists who engage in a form of guerrilla warfare.

“This is extremely unacceptable. If they do not like the lives of the people and are fighting for their political position, I think I am serving the interest of the common masses, and it is my right to protect them.

“So, once we receive this report in the coming week, we are going to take it up and take it seriously,” Alia assured.

There has been a surge in attacks in the North-Central state in recent weeks, with several local government areas experiencing violent onslaughts that have claimed numerous lives.

The ICIR reported that as of April 22, 69 dead bodies had been officially confirmed from the recent attacks.

Gunmen had attacked the Gbagir community, Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, including some commodities in Otukpo, Ukum, Sankera, and Logo LGAs in the state.